EPISODE II: CAPTURING AN ASTEROID PURSUIT!

                                           

It's a busy time for Obi-Wan Kenobi on film as he chases after the bounty hunter Jango Fett. And it's a busy time filming the scene for actor Ewan McGregor too, in this great behind the scenes image from Episode II.

EPISODE III: WAR IN THE HEAVENS!

An army of Republic Cruisers begin their attack on enemy forces, launching waves of fighters and accompanied by a Jedi Starfighter, in this terrific fan artwork linked to the Prequel saga, capturing the epic flavour of intergalactic war that the saga does so well.

If anyone knows the name of the excellent artist here, please get in touch.

'EPISODE III' AT TWENTY: A CONFLICT IN THE STRATOSPHERE!

A space battle like no other in the Prequel saga.

"War! The Republic is crumbling under attacks by the ruthless Sith Lord, Count Dooku. There are heroes on both sides. Evil is everywhere.

In a stunning move, the fiendish droid leader, General Grievous, has swept into the Republic capital and kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine, leader of the Galactic Senate.

As the Separatist Droid Army attempts to flee the besieged capital with their valuable hostage, two Jedi Knights lead a desperate rescue mission to rescue the captive chancellor..."

EPISODE III title crawl text - 2005

The Jedi Starfighters commanded by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

Republic fighters ready to attack and escort the Jedi to their destination.

Enemy Tri-fighters.

Obi-Wan and Anakin navigate their way through the battle in these two animatic storyboard script pages from the archive of Nick Gillard.

"This was the most complicated space battle in any Star Wars movie in terms of number of elements and variety of things depicted. It was also a little different. There has been a space battle in all six of the pictures; but, for the first time, we set a space battle in the upper regions of the atmosphere - in this case, Coruscant's atmosphere. So it was almost in space, but not quite. We used that as an excuse to do smoke, fire, drag, flak bursts and a lot of other things you can't do in space."

"There is a progression in the space battle. We start at one place, thread through a bunch of ships, and end up at Grievous' ship at the other end. Layout determined what ships were where, and every shot began with that basic space arrangement."

John Knoll - Cinefex Magazine 102 -2005

Speeding through the epic battlefield.

Penetrating a massive explosion.

The Jedi Starfighters tackle all obstacles.

Republic Cruisers close in.

Several epic battle shots from the sequence between locked-in Republic and Separatist forces.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE 'RESCUE MISSION' BEGINS!

Answering the call for help reaching out to them in the farthest areas of the Outer Rim sieges, two bold Jedi return to the Republic home world of battle on a desperate mission to rescue the Separatist captured Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The decisive conflict of the Clone Wars, and a stunning move launched by the evil Count Dooku, is but the launching pad for a far more Machiavellian-esque evil ready to take centre stage and launch its successful power grab...

A lovely special CGI created composite image used for the publicity and merchandising of EPISODE III in 2005.

'ATTACK' AT 20: THE GEONOSIS CONNECTION!

Tracking Jango Fett's Slave 1 to the Geonosian asteroid belt, the hunter soon becomes the hunted when the Fetts' surprise attack him, unleashing heavy weapons and a seismic charge against him. Believed dead, Jango now pilots his ship to a a rendezvous with the Geonosians, unaware that Obi-Wan has generated his own survival trick...

Behind the scenes, the menacing delayed blast sound of the seismic charge was originally developed but never used by sound designer Ben Burtt back in 1976 for A New Hope, and the destruction of Alderaan by the Death Star.

Slave 1 emerges at Geonosis.

Father and son head to Geonosis but soon realize they've been tracked.

Obi-Wan in pursuit!

Slave 1 attacks Obi-wan's Jedi Starfighter.

Obi evades missiles.

The devastating seismic blast!

Hidden, believed dead, in the asteroid field.

A heavy Trade Federation presence embedded on Geonosis is discovered.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SKILLED DEVIL-MAY-CARE!

Attuned to the his powers in the Force, young Anakin Skywalker cements his bold and seemingly fearless reputation as one of the Republic's greatest pilots during EPISODE III's visually spectacular opening Battle of Coruscant.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image. 

BEHIND THE SCENES: A JEDI AT THE CONTROLS!

At FOX Studios, Australia in 2000, Ewan McGregor may have to endure lots of rain on the Kamino set but at least he also gets to enjoy having his own starfighter and go on a Dick Tracy-esque detective spree during filming for EPISODE II.

CLASSIC IMAGE: MAKING PLANS!

The presence of General Grievous on Utapau has been confirmed, and now Obi-Wan Kenobi, with the aid of his current droid, make plans for the upcoming attack on the enemy stronghold located at the upper levels within Tipocca City. Another memorable image from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC ART: THE SKY'S AFIRE!

In a battle unlike anything seen before by the people of Coruscant since the starting reign of the Old Republic, the Jedi and the Clone space fleet engage sneak-attack enemy Separatists who have achieved the seemingly unthinkable- capturing the noble Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, as seen in this great fan art evoking the heady atmosphere space dogfights that will start EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE ORDER IS GIVEN...

Darth Sidious's final murderous act before becoming Emperor is initiated, as Order 66 is sent across the universe for the Clone Troopers to turn against their Jedi Commanders, showcased in a variety of locations and war zones during the dark events of EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A PLANET OF QUESTIONS...

Landing amidst the highly charged thunderstorms and epic wave crashes surrounding Tipocca City on the far-off world of Kamino, a lone Jedi arrives seeking urgent answers on the death of a bounty hunter, the assassin who ultimately killed it, and the mystery of who wants Padme Amidala dead? The investigation begins, during the middle act of EPISODE II.

CLASSIC IMAGE: BOUNTY HUNTER PURSUIT...

Newly arrived in the Geonosian system, a deep in concentration Obi-Wan Kenobi continues his starfighter tail of Jango Fett, in this moment from EPISODE II.

CLASSIC IMAGE: MAKING THE CONNECTION!

On the harsh and dusty Outer Rim desert world of Geonosis, lone Jedi Obi-Wan prepares to send a vital message from his starfighter, aided by droid R4, in a scene filmed in later UK re-shoots for EPISODE II -note the wig Ewan is wearing after having previously shaved his hair for the Ridley Scott action drama Black Hawk Down.

CLASSIC IMAGE: "MISSILES!"

Piloting the densely incident packed ship, debris and explosion filled skies above Coruscant is tricky enough, now our Jedi heroes brave a Separatist fleet missile attack, in this great cockpit view image from Anakin's Starfighter, from EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE DYING DAYS!

Darth Sidious's final ominous act in destabilising the political influences of the Senate and fracturing their trust in the Jedi is put into motion, with the attempted "kidnapping" of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine by General Grievous and his Droid armies- George Lucas's bold opening to EPISODE III, and one of the biggest CGI space battles ever created for the screen.

CLASSIC IMAGE: INTO THE FRAY!

In their sleek Starfighters, Jedi heroes Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi navigate the perilous upper atmosphere close-quarters combat between Separatists and Republic vessels, during the memorable sequence of galactic chaos and carnage that would launch EPISODE III.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE SILENT DETONATION!

In their swift and maneuvarable Starfighter, Obi-Wan Kenobi and trusty droid R4 narrowly avoid the immense destruction caused by a sonic blast, in this memorable Geonosis asteroid chase scene from EPISODE II.

THE 'SITH' AT TEN: A JEDI's BEST FRIEND...

Ever faithful to his master, despite noticing his recent moody personality changes, Artoo Detoo is ready for action in the side cockpit of Anakin Skywalker's Jedi Starfighter, in this lovely behind the scenes image at the FOX Studios, Australia for EPISODE III in 2003.

STAR WARS: The Complete Saga auf Blu-ray: Archive Collection Explanations: R2 D2 HD - YouTube

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE PURSUER IS PURSUED!

Navigating erratic, varying sized asteroid rock formations is bad enough, especially when he hates flying, but now Obi-Wan Kenobi has even bigger and deadlier fish to avoid- pursued by the lethal Fett duo in Slave One, during this memorable effects sequence from EPISODE II.

CLASSIC IMAGE: MISSION INTO THE UNKNOWN...

In his slick starfighter, and with trusty Arfour the Astro Droid socketed in to help, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi leaves his hyperspace ring attachment to pursue bounty hunter Jango Fett and investigate his arriving presence on the nearby desert planet of Geonosis, in this lovely CGI shot from EPISODE II.